Written Answers Monday 12 December 2005

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive from which funding streams the 2014 Commonwealth Games bid will be funded.

Patricia Ferguson: The budget for the Scotland’s bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games bid is £5 million, to be split on a 50:50 basis between Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Executive. Of the £2.5 million Scottish Executive contribution, £1 million will come from existing Scottish Enterprise Glasgow budgets and £1 million from existing EventScotland budgets.

Alcohol Misuse

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the incidence of (a) underage drinking, (b) drinking by young adults and (c) drinking by children and what resources it has allocated for this purpose.

Lewis Macdonald: Reducing harmful drinking by children and young people is one of the key priorities of the Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems published in 2002. The plan sets out a range of actions in relation to school and community based education and the promotion of positive alternatives. It also includes actions to ensure children affected by alcohol problems have access to appropriate services, and new resources for parents to help them to discuss alcohol issues with their children.

  The Executive will shortly be publishing an update to this Plan, setting out further actions.

  Executive action in relation to young adults has focused on encouraging them to take responsibility for their behaviour when drunk and to think more about the negative effects of this behaviour. Action includes a television advertising campaign and a high profile press and poster campaign, and supporting NHS Health Scotland and Alcohol Focus Scotland in providing information and advice.

  A breakdown of funding to tackle drinking by children and young adults is not available. Scottish Executive spend specifically on alcohol will amount to £11.9 million in 2005-06. Alcohol misuse is also targeted through other joint drugs/alcohol activities.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20285 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005, why NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is awaiting the final recommendation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in relation to its consultation document, Alzheimer’s disease – donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine, when NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is responsible for making recommendations in respect of the use of these drugs within the NHS in Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) has published comments on all NICE appraisals since May 2001. It does not re-assess the evidence used by NICE to avoid duplication of effort and to ensure public resources are used effectively and efficiently. NHS QIS considers possible differences in the application of appraisals for Scotland based on four criteria:

  
Principles and values of NHSScotland
  Epidemiology (frequency, distribution and stage at presentation)
  Structure and provision of services in Scotland


  Other implications for NHSScotland, including rural issues, predicted uptake or existing advice from the Scottish Medicines Consortium.

  NHS QIS involves a small number of experts in this process, and this has allowed it to make decisions about the validity of NICE appraisals for Scotland prior to the publication of the appraisal by NICE. Consequently it issues its comments to NHS board chief executives on the same day as NICE publishes its appraisal (usually on the fourth Wednesday of each month).

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20285 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005, why the Scottish Medicines Consortium does not recommend that Memantine (Exiba®) is used to treat moderately severe to severe Alzheimer’s Disease and whether this indicates that the drug is used to treat milder cases of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) reviewed memantine (Ebixa) in July 2003 and did not recommend it for use within NHS Scotland. Its advice was that, although this is currently the only agent licensed for use in moderately severe to severe Alzheimer’s disease, the magnitude of the effect is extremely small. Compared with placebo it is associated with a statistically significant reduction in the rate of deterioration in global, functional and cognitive scales. On the evidence presented, the associated gains appear to be marginal relative to the overall costs.

  The company subsequently made a resubmission to SMC for assessment and in December 2003 SMC did not recommend it for use. The economic case submitted by the manufacturer did not suggest that use of this drug would be cost effective relative to standard practice in Scotland.

  The licensed indication submitted for review was for the treatment of patients with moderately severe to severe Alzheimer’s disease and SMC therefore commented on this indication only.

Ambulance Service

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide current details of ambulance response times to emergency call-outs in Dumfries and Galloway and what measures are being taken by NHS 24 to ensure that patients in remote locations receive a timeous and trained paramedical or medical response.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table shows the ambulance service’s response times to emergency calls in Dumfries and Galloway between 1 April 2005 and 30 November 2005. It shows the responses to Category A (life-threatening) calls and Category B (serious but not life threatening) calls. In this area, the targets (to March 2006) are to reach 58.9% of Category A calls within eight minutes and 95% of Category B calls within 14, 19 or 21 minutes depending on population density.

  

No. of Category A Responses
No. of Category B Responses
% of Cat A responses Which Met Target
% of Cat B Responses Which Met Target


2,275
3,966
54.4%
90.7%



  *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

  NHS 24 provides the front door for primary care medical attention when doctors’ surgeries are closed and is sensitive to the specific needs of patients in remote and rural areas and problems such as travelling long distances to reach a primary care emergency centre out of hours. If an NHS 24 nurse adviser assesses that a patient requires medical attention out of hours they can access information about what services are available, and where, and will refer accordingly. The patient’s care is then transferred to the local NHS board who will ensure that appropriate treatment is provided.

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities in the last 12 months in respect of the integration of services for asylum seekers and new immigrants.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive wrote to all Scottish local authorities on 4 October 2005 inviting them to develop appropriate language plans for the communities they serve. The letter drew attention to national policy in respect of service provision for speakers and users of languages other than English and explained that people living in Scotland who do not speak English as a first language have the same rights to access public sector services as English speakers.

  Communities Scotland disseminated copies of Providing Information to Refugees: a Good Practice Checklist which provides information for local authorities to use when preparing welcome packs for refugees. The checklist aims to ensure that refugees get information they need on housing, welfare benefits, education, work, healthcare, legal aid and how to deal with racial harassment. This publication is available from HomePoint.

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available to asylum seekers and new immigrants to encourage them to become involved in community groups.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

  Since 2003 the Executive has funded over 50 projects through the Equality Unit’s Scottish Refugee Integration fund. The provision of information to asylum seekers and refugees on local community groups or activities has been an element of a number of these projects.

  The Executive provides core funding to the Scottish Refugee Council for the purpose of, amongst other things, providing information to asylum seekers and refugees. The Scottish Refugee Council’s community development team supports the Framework for Dialogue initiative to give local refugee groups the chance to build bridges with host communities and other refugee groups

  Communities Scotland’s Asylum Integration Fund is allocated to Glasgow City Council and the Glasgow Alliance, who will advertise the projects and services which they provide as they see appropriate.

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated in each year since 2002 to provide specialist workers and professionals to help integrate new immigrants and asylum seekers into the community.

Malcolm Chisholm: Since 2002, the Scottish Executive has allocated the following amounts in core grant fund to the Scottish Refugee Council, including funding for professionals and specialist workers providing advice and integration opportunities to asylum seekers in their communities:

  

2002-03
£343,980


2003-04
£465,355


2004-05
£486,094


2005-06
£503,439



  Since 2003 the Scottish Executive has awarded the following amounts through the Equality Unit’s Scottish Refugee Integration Fund. Provision of specialist workers is an element of this fund.

  

2003-04
£408,864


2004-05
£582,541


2005-06
£900,634



  The following amounts have been allocated through the Communities Scotland Asylum Integration Fund. Provision of specialist workers is an element of this fund.

  

2001-02
£250,000


2002-03
£450,000


2003-04
£1,050,000


2004-05
£1,090,000


2005-06
£1,090,000



  Disaggregated data on the cost of English language classes for new immigrants and asylum seekers, as distinct from other provision, are not available because of the way that further education (FE) colleges and local authorities are funded. However, between 2001-04, £5.4 million was directed via the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) to English for Speakers of Other Languages provision. From academic year 2004-05, this resource has been mainstreamed into FE baseline funding.

Autism

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the recommendations in the Public Health Institute of Scotland’s Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Needs Assessment Report have been met; how these recommendations have been met, and how the implementation of the recommendations has been monitored since the report was published in 2001.

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its timescale is to implement comprehensively all of the recommendations made in the Public Health Institute of Scotland’s Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Needs Assessment Report.

Lewis Macdonald: The recommendations in the Public Health Institute of Scotland’s  Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Needs Assessment Report are primarily for local health, education and social work agencies who are responsible for the delivery of services for those who need them, and for determining the allocation of resources. The recommendations are in five key areas: standards and monitoring; matching resources to need; training; research, and diagnosis and assessment. The work of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Reference Group continues to focus on priorities within these areas for delivering better services for individuals and their families. Details of the group’s work are available on the Scottish Executive website at the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/VAUnit/ASD .

  A progress report due for publication in February will provide full details of progress towards implementation of the recommendations to date. It will also identify priorities for further action at national and local level.

  Monitoring of multi-agency services for people with ASD will be delivered through joint inspections of learning disability services; Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education inspections, and the work of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. The Scottish Executive also monitors individual projects that it funds. The Needs Assessment Report does not set out a timescale for implementation.

Cancer

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women (a) were diagnosed with and (b) died from breast cancer in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) NHS board and (ii) parliamentary constituency.

Mr Andy Kerr: Data shows that despite rising breast cancer incidence survival is improving with 80% of women now alive more than five years after diagnosis, up from 60% in 1981.

  Data on newly diagnosed cancers in Scotland are recorded on the Scottish Cancer Registry. The most recent year of data currently available is 2002. Data on deaths in Scotland are recorded by the General Register Office for Scotland. The most recent year of data currently available is 2004.

  More comprehensive data on breast cancer can be found on the Scottish Health Statistics website at: www.isdscotland.org\cancer_information.

  (a) (i) Incidence (number of registrations) of female breast cancer (ICD-10 C50) by NHS Board Area of Residence, 1998-2002

  

 
Year of Diagnosis


NHS Board Area
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002


Argyll and Clyde
275
301
336
294
328


Ayrshire and Arran
318
261
261
302
273


Borders
68
134
72
79
132


Dumfries and Galloway
107
112
128
128
129


Fife
196
214
327
190
215


Forth Valley
235
203
159
224
178


Grampian
317
390
373
345
414


Greater Glasgow
651
607
672
559
616


Highland
167
150
166
158
129


Lanarkshire
374
422
375
374
362


Lothian
549
548
499
566
590


Orkney
4
15
21
7
8


Shetland
26
8
7
20
5


Tayside
298
285
287
312
259


Western Isles
14
27
13
21
30


Scotland
3599
3677
3696
3579
3669



  Source: Scottish Cancer Registry, Date extracted: November 2005.

  (a) (ii) Incidence (Number of Registrations) of Female Breast Cancer (ICD-10 C50) by Scottish Parliamentary Constituency of Residence, 1998-2002

  

Scottish Parliamentary Constituency
Year of Diagnosis


1998
1999
2000
2001
2002


Aberdeen Central
39
46
39
34
49


Aberdeen North
37
40
42
51
43


Aberdeen South
56
81
50
62
61


Airdrie and Shotts
44
41
67
49
44


Angus
52
82
59
49
71


Argyll and Bute
46
52
63
55
40


Ayr
82
54
42
59
73


Banff and Buchan
55
41
70
33
59


Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
53
40
55
47
33


Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
78
66
43
80
56


Central Fife
33
47
80
29
45


Clydebank and Milngavie
66
44
66
54
27


Clydesdale
47
71
69
50
72


Coatbridge and Chryston
32
43
59
39
35


Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
39
42
55
39
34


Cunninghame North
61
57
48
74
64


Cunninghame South
41
36
51
35
39


Dumbarton
40
45
56
52
39


Dumfries
60
59
63
78
64


Dundee East
54
51
58
50
48


Dundee West
50
40
43
43
58


Dunfermline East
36
44
54
31
44


Dunfermline West
47
34
48
52
40


East Kilbride
74
53
45
76
42


East Lothian
61
55
86
38
66


Eastwood
58
60
96
52
71


Edinburgh Central
50
42
46
54
54


Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
51
62
60
61
61


Edinburgh North and Leith
49
65
58
57
57


Edinburgh Pentlands
47
47
43
69
43


Edinburgh South
64
57
45
68
50


Edinburgh West
57
70
58
69
76


Falkirk East
66
41
52
62
27


Falkirk West
53
63
45
45
48


Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
47
53
65
50
65


Glasgow Anniesland
52
68
48
38
52


Glasgow Baillieston
45
54
38
37
50


Glasgow Cathcart
60
37
46
39
38


Glasgow Govan
38
38
37
40
53


Glasgow Kelvin
39
29
28
29
43


Glasgow Maryhill
48
47
52
33
31


Glasgow Pollock
40
40
49
39
46


Glasgow Rutherglen
66
61
48
45
66


Glasgow Shettleston
40
32
50
49
40


Glasgow Springburn
45
46
47
52
47


Gordon
42
55
39
72
54


Greenock and Inverclyde
59
42
39
41
36


Hamilton North and Bellshill
56
58
30
44
55


Hamilton South
52
44
27
65
19


Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
72
59
49
64
60


Kilmarnock and Loudoun
56
48
77
53
41


Kirkcaldy
33
39
60
34
42


Linlithgow
60
46
32
46
51


Livingston
60
38
27
62
42


Midlothian
40
50
33
34
72


Moray
53
72
52
45
89


Motherwell and Wishaw
37
86
37
27
78


North East Fife
47
50
85
44
44


North Tayside
53
64
47
66
46


Ochil
64
46
43
72
49


Orkney Islands
4
15
21
7
8


Paisley North
36
43
49
40
62


Paisley South
40
36
50
50
59


Perth
79
42
69
97
31


Ross, Skye and Inverness West
42
51
62
46
35


Roxburgh and Berwickshire
41
70
33
40
68


Shetland Islands
26
8
7
20
5


Stirling
62
58
30
53
60


Strathkelvin and Bearsden
58
49
89
50
59


Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
37
79
47
46
81


West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
35
55
81
48
59


West Renfrewshire
43
65
41
41
67


Western Isles
14
27
13
21
30


Scotland
3599
3677
3696
3579
3669



  Source: Scottish Cancer Registry, Date extracted: November 2005.

  (b) (i) Mortality (Number of Death Registrations) from Female Breast Cancer (ICD-10 C50) by NHS Board Area of Residence, 2000-04

  

NHS Board Area
Year of Death Registration


2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Argyll and Clyde
91
97
80
97
118


Ayrshire and Arran
84
97
82
105
82


Borders
28
23
33
25
18


Dumfries and Galloway
41
35
28
40
45


Fife
86
66
76
76
72


Forth Valley
59
74
64
70
60


Grampian
95
116
95
102
98


Greater Glasgow
169
176
193
210
176


Highland
45
71
54
46
46


Lanarkshire
135
122
122
118
123


Lothian
164
147
155
141
124


Orkney
4
6
2
2
5


Shetland
4
4
5
4
2


Tayside
101
99
107
95
107


Western Isles
10
10
9
7
6


Scotland
1,116
1,143
1,105
1,138
1,082



  Source: General Register Office for Scotland, Date extracted: November 2005.

  (b) (ii) Mortality (Number of Death Registrations) from Female Breast Cancer (ICD-10 C50) by Scottish Parliamentary Constituency of Residence, 2000-04

  

Scottish Parliamentary Constituency
Year of Death Registration


2000
2001
2002
2003
2004


Aberdeen Central
9
15
9
14
8


Aberdeen North
19
9
7
11
20


Aberdeen South
16
19
15
17
8


Airdrie and Shotts
21
24
22
15
18


Angus
17
25
22
23
25


Argyll and Bute
16
18
13
20
22


Ayr
18
27
10
19
23


Banff and Buchan
11
18
11
13
17


Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
7
20
14
14
16


Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
20
15
21
22
13


Central Fife
19
15
10
16
14


Clydebank and Milngavie
14
27
11
17
11


Clydesdale
16
22
21
23
21


Coatbridge and Chryston
13
13
16
15
10


Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
13
15
10
17
13


Cunninghame North
15
18
21
24
18


Cunninghame South
8
16
11
14
10


Dumbarton
13
11
10
9
14


Dumfries
23
17
15
21
26


Dundee East
25
21
14
17
20


Dundee West
21
7
20
14
21


Dunfermline East
16
12
14
11
12


Dunfermline West
17
11
17
10
17


East Kilbride
15
10
13
13
12


East Lothian
13
18
20
18
11


Eastwood
17
20
15
24
30


Edinburgh Central
23
9
12
15
11


Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
20
17
16
10
17


Edinburgh North and Leith
15
15
13
15
9


Edinburgh Pentlands
13
12
15
14
10


Edinburgh South
23
20
12
11
19


Edinburgh West
21
16
21
18
19


Falkirk East
16
19
15
20
19


Falkirk West
15
22
16
25
18


Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
18
17
12
18
19


Glasgow Anniesland
18
12
14
14
9


Glasgow Baillieston
10
9
13
7
12


Glasgow Cathcart
11
12
18
16
13


Glasgow Govan
10
12
14
11
11


Glasgow Kelvin
10
7
14
12
7


Glasgow Maryhill
12
12
14
9
8


Glasgow Pollock
14
18
16
21
14


Glasgow Rutherglen
19
12
14
24
15


Glasgow Shettleston
6
9
14
18
10


Glasgow Springburn
18
14
14
21
22


Gordon
7
12
15
14
13


Greenock and Inverclyde
18
15
9
16
14


Hamilton North and Bellshill
19
12
17
15
18


Hamilton South
15
10
14
7
10


Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
24
24
19
15
17


Kilmarnock and Loudoun
23
21
18
26
18


Kirkcaldy
15
12
13
15
14


Linlithgow
13
14
14
12
9


Livingston
7
10
9
15
8


Midlothian
13
11
18
9
8


Moray
19
21
19
11
19


Motherwell and Wishaw
26
17
16
15
24


North East Fife
19
16
22
24
15


North Tayside
19
18
23
16
17


Ochil
14
24
17
12
13


Orkney Islands
4
6
2
2
5


Paisley North
8
13
11
15
14


Paisley South
19
22
20
17
25


Perth
17
23
24
24
21


Ross, Skye and Inverness West
15
27
20
17
13


Roxburgh and Berwickshire
16
15
20
11
7


Shetland Islands
4
4
5
4
2


Stirling
15
12
19
14
11


Strathkelvin and Bearsden
9
14
17
17
23


Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
15
12
17
14
14


West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
14
21
19
21
12


West Renfrewshire
13
12
12
16
17


Western Isles
10
10
9
7
6


Scotland
1,116
1,143
1,105
1,138
1,082



  Source: General Register Office for Scotland, Date extracted: November 2005.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to NHS boards on the development of consultant nurses in cancer posts.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive issued new guidance to NHS boards about the establishment and appointment of new nurse/midwife consultant posts in 2001. The guidance outlined the principles to be followed in establishing such posts.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what training courses are available for nurses and other healthcare staff specialising in colorectal cancer.

Mr Andy Kerr: Multidisciplinary colorectal cancer teams require appropriately trained surgeons, clinical oncologists, medical oncologists, pharmacists, therapy radiographers, radiation physicists as well as nurses and a variety of discipline specific and generic training courses are available.

  One example is the new development and training programme to provide a further 25 non-medical endoscopists. Medical endoscopists also receive enhanced "Training the trainers" training as part of this programme.

  There are also a number of courses leading to the award of specialist practitioner qualification that would be available to nurses specialising in colorectal cancer, such as degree and master level courses in cancer nursing, and in gastro-intestinal nursing.

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which venues it uses to make available and publicise information on the central heating and Warm Deal programmes and how it monitors the effectiveness of its information strategy on the programmes.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  
Organisations with a national identity, but local presence, have received letters explaining the grant procedures coupled with leaflets and posters for public display and distribution. These include libraries, local authorities, energy efficiency advice centres, Citizens Advice Bureaux, MSP constituency offices, registered social landlords, community centres, Help the Aged, Pension Service Cluster offices, health visitors, GPs, landlords forums, care and repair forums, occupational welfare organisations, national rent deposit forums, Motability, Gingerbread, church groups, disability information services, Black and Ethnic Minorities Infrastructure Scotland, Energywatch, The Salvation Army, Capability Scotland and fuel utilities.


  Communities Scotland holds regular marketing meetings with Eaga Partnership which manages the central heating and Warm Deal programmes to ensure that the marketing strategy adopted by Eaga meets the requirements of the programmes.

Crime

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what success it has had in achieving reductions in the levels of street crime in (a) Scotland and (b) the (i) West Dunbartonshire and (ii) East Dunbartonshire local authority area since 1999 and what targets it set for such reductions in this period.

Cathy Jamieson: Neither the recorded crime nor the court proceedings statistics held centrally contain information which would enable figures to be provided at the level of detail requested.

  The Executive has targets in place to reduce the number of recorded incidents of serious violent crime and to increase the detection rate, both of which are to be achieved by March 2006. The latest statistics show that non-sexual crimes of violence across Scotland decreased by 3% between 2003-04 and 2004-05. Within this category, recorded robberies decreased by 10% - the lowest level since 1980.

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the completion of the consultation on the establishment of a third full dental school.

Lewis Macdonald: In accordance with our Partnership Agreement commitment, we will establish a dental outreach training centre in Aberdeen which will be open for use by dental students in autumn 2006 and fully operational by Easter 2007. We will consult in 2007 on the need for its development into a full dental school.

Dentistry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its plans to allow NHS boards to contract locally for services such as out-of-hours, oral surgery and special needs which are not part of the national arrangements for NHS dentistry, as referred to in An Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland , will allow contracts between NHS boards and non-NHS providers of dental services.

Lewis Macdonald: No. Contracts will require to be with those dentists or bodies corporate on the relevant NHS board’s dental list.

Emergency Services

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to extend the provisions of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 to cover people employed in community health care settings.

Mr Tom McCabe: Under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, doctors, nurses, midwives and ambulance workers are protected in any area of a hospital whenever they are on duty. These workers and anyone assisting them are also protected when they are responding to emergency situations, including in community health care settings. There are no plans to further extend the provisions of the act.

Employment

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to implement the employability framework.

Allan Wilson: Details of the framework implementation will be announced when we publish it in early 2006.

Enterprise

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it assesses business rates for new businesses and whether there are any reductions in rates for new business start-ups and, if not, whether it will consider including such reductions in the next spending review.

Mr Tom McCabe: The rates liability for all businesses, including new ones, is determined by the Scottish Assessors, and is usually based on an estimate of the annual rent which a subject would command on the open market. New business start-ups do not receive any specific rates reductions, although, there are a wide range of rate reliefs available to all qualifying businesses, including new ones. We have no current plans to introduce a rates reduction for new business start-ups in the next spending review.

Enterprise

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of financial support are available to community business initiatives.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  
Certain community business initiatives are able to access the Futurebuilders Scotland fund where they are part of the social economy and meet the Futurebuilders Scotland eligibility criteria.
Financial support for community business initiatives is also available through Leader+(Scotland), a European Community Initiative designed to encourage new ideas and support in sustainable rural development.
Support for businesses generally is primarily an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Scottish Enterprise provides support and advice through the Business Gateway, while in the Highlands and Islands area, the ten local enterprise companies act as the access point. This includes advice on the sources of financial support available.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question 20891 by Ben Bradshaw MP on 31 October 2005 ( Official Report , c 690), why it has not taken a position on the Environmental Levy on Plastic Bags (Scotland) Bill when its extended impact assessment concluded that there would be a broad environmental disbenefit if a levy was introduced on the lines proposed.

Ross Finnie: The Extended Impact Assessment concluded that the proposed levy on plastic bags would achieve net environmental benefits in five out of eight environmental indicators. It also concluded, however, that there would an increase in the amount of waste arising in Scotland. A summary of the Extended Impact Assessment can be found on the Scottish Executive’s website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/08/1993102/31039 .

  The proposed levy on plastic bags is a complex matter and the Environment and Rural Development Committee, who are considering the Bill at Stage One, has recently requested further information.

Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland, 2003-04  will be published.

Mr Tom McCabe: Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland, 2003-04 will be published on Wednesday 14 December. I am pleased to announce that the National Statistician has approved it to be a National Statistics publication. This means that it meets the quality standards required by the National Statistics Code of Practice.

  Copies of the publication will be available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38338).

Flooding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual budget for local authorities for measures to alleviate flooding has been in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.

Rhona Brankin: Local authorities set their own revenue and capital budgets for flood alleviation measures according to local needs and priorities. For revenue expenditure, local authorities’ Flood Defence and Land Drainage budget estimates for 2005-06 and their net outturn expenditure for the previous four years are as follows.

  

 
2001-02 (£000)
2002-03 (£000)
2003-04 (£000)
2004-05 (£000)
2005-06 (£000)


Scotland
2,720
4,424
4,233
4,974
4,359


Aberdeen City
35
40
93
136
90


Aberdeenshire
284
248
440
452
441


Angus
29
71
76
5
25


Argyll and Bute
84
133
142
89
145


Clackmannanshire
27
51
38
25
0


Dumfries and Galloway
122
330
147
213
158


Dundee City
17
17
14
13
30


East Ayrshire
75
21
2
30
124


East Dunbartonshire
130
233
233
233
239


East Lothian
0
43
0
0
0


East Renfrewshire
23
3
21
40
20


Edinburgh, City of
363
592
348
391
367


Eilean Siar
0
0
0
0
0


Falkirk
0
56
87
146
144


Fife
258
304
313
371
333


Glasgow City
0
0
128
113
140


Highland
70
123
160
232
707


Inverclyde
0
0
0
0
0


Midlothian
34
11
31
16
118


Moray
224
159
234
469
321


North Ayrshire
79
157
190
173
180


North Lanarkshire
53
61
37
0
37


Orkney Islands
30
30
30
30
30


Perth and Kinross
286
704
273
417
469


Renfrewshire
317
315
425
427
0


Scottish Borders
69
83
98
160
164


Shetland Islands
0
0
0
21
0


South Ayrshire
0
0
5
4
8


South Lanarkshire
111
240
383
373
0


Stirling
0
0
0
0
34


West Dunbartonshire
0
0
0
0
35


West Lothian
0
399
285
395
0



  Source: LFR 6 return 2001-02 to 2004-05. POBE return 2005.

  For capital expenditure, local authorities have been free to set their capital budgets for flood alleviation measures within the overall prudential regime since 1 April 2004. Before then, local authorities had considerable flexibility in setting their flood alleviation budget within their overall section 94 consent allocations. In addition, there were specific allocations made for major confirmed flood prevention schemes for the period up to 2003-04, the details of which were set out in the answer to question S2W-3642 on 20 November 2003.

  All answers to written questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Food Standards

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what controls exist in respect of the use of aspartame in diet sodas.

Lewis Macdonald: I have been advised by the Food Standards Agency Scotland that the use of aspartame in diet sodas is controlled in the UK by the Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1995 (as amended). These regulations list sweeteners permitted for use, the foodstuff categories in which they are permitted to be used, the maximum usable dose levels allowed and specify the labelling requirements for the sale of tabletop sweeteners.

  In relation to diet sodas the above regulations specify that "aspartame is permitted in water-based flavoured drinks, energy-reduced or with no added sugar up to the maximum usable dose of 600mg/l". However, most soft drinks use aspartame in combination with other sweeteners and so the actual level used is normally considerably lower.

H5N1 Influenza

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20688 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 November 2005, whether the monies paid under the terms and conditions of any contract will be dependent on the emergence of a pandemic flu strain.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is envisaged that payments will be made to secure access to availability of vaccine in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Health

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding has been allocated to (a) National Services Scotland, (b) the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, (c) the Protein Fractionation Centre and (d) Alba Bioscience in each of the last five years.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of income has been generated by (a) National Services Scotland, (b) the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, (c) the Protein Fractionation Centre and (d) Alba Bioscience from sales and services in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: National Services Scotland (NSS) are given an annual revenue allocation from which they apportion the relevant funding to their Internal Divisions.

  The funding shown for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), the Protein Fractionation Centre (PFC) and Alba Bioscience has therefore been made available from the total revenue resource allocated to NSS.

  The level of funding allocated is a shown in the table:

  

 
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


NSS
165,191
166,181
179,147
194,795
223,811


SNBTS1
45,605
46,697
48,273
50,284
55,675


PFC
6,885
5,555
5,698
6,654
7,725


Alba Bioscience
696
763
510
765
566



  Note: 1. The allocation shown for SNBTS includes the resources for the Protein Fractionation Centre and Alba Bioscience.

  With regard to the income generated by the bodies mentioned above, this information is as shown in the following table:

  

 
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


National Services Scotland1
14,673*
25,654
27,661
31,145
35,392


Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service2
7,225
8,392
9,762
9,976
9,948


Protein Fractionation Centre
2,700
3,435
3,627
3,210
3,633


Alba Bioscience
1,395
1,306
1,982
2,047
2,192



  Notes:

  1. The income shown for National Services Scotland includes the figures for SNBTS, the Protein Fractionation Centre and Alba Bioscience.

  2. The income shown for SNBTS includes the figures for the Protein Fractionation Centre and Alba Bioscience.

  *This figure does not include income from other NHS bodies the details of which are unavailable.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a "spend to save" element to the Coatbridge pilot on secondary fracture prevention and, if so, what procedures are in place to measure the cost benefits associated with this.

Mr Andy Kerr: The planning and provision of local NHS services is a matter for individual NHS boards, providing they are in line with national guidance and frameworks. The National Framework for Service Change concluded that there needs to be a shift towards preventative medicine and I have made it clear in Delivering for Health that I want to see NHS boards expanding the range of preventative services in the community to free capacity in the acute sector. The outcome of the Coatbridge pilot is currently being evaluated by NHS Lanarkshire. There are indications that investment in this service has the potential to reduce demand on orthopaedic and other acute hospital services and would therefore represent a better use of available resources. The outcome and wider implementation of the pilot will be considered by NHS Lanarkshire early next year.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were admitted to hospital with coronary heart disease in each year since 1997.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is shown in the following table.

  Patients Admitted to Acute Hospitals with a Diagnosis of Coronary Heart Disease, Year Ending December 1997-2004

  

Year Ending December
Number of Patients


1997
30,495


1998
30,710


1999
29,699


2000
28,900


2001
28,362


2002
28,510


2003
27,777


2004
26,634



  Notes:

  1. Up to six diagnoses (one main, five secondary) are recorded on SMR01 returns. Only main diagnosis has been used to select admissions for coronary heart disease. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD10) codes I20 to I25 have been used to identify admissions for coronary heart disease.

  2. Includes areas of residence outside Scotland, No fixed abode and unknown.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of eligible heart attack victims received blood clot-removing drugs within 20 minutes of arriving in hospital in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, and with whom, regarding the organisation of health services in Lanarkshire.

Mr Andy Kerr: While the health department is in regular contact with NHS Lanarkshire, the planning and provision of local NHS services is a matter for individual NHS boards, providing they are in line with national guidance and frameworks, including  Delivering for Health . Should an NHS board propose significant changes to the way services are currently provided then these would need to be subject to formal public consultation, in line with Scottish Executive guidance, and would ultimately come to Scottish ministers for consideration and a final decision.

Health

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have signed up to its Healthy Living campaign.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is no "signing up" involved in the Healthyliving Campaign. The Healthyliving Campaign is a public health information campaign using a multi-media, multi-component approach to communicate information, and positive messages about healthy eating and physical activity. The strategy is one of motivating individuals to choose healthy eating options and increase their physical activity levels through the core proposition of "Choose change, choose healthyliving". Strategic partnerships for delivery of healthier eating or physical activity also use healthyliving branding to connect the communications campaign with the delivery of services which support individuals to make those healthy choices a reality.

  In the school environment health is one part of ministers’ vision for the children and young people of Scotland. Activities to improve children’s health is embedded in the concept of health promoting schools and all schools are working towards being health promoting schools by 2007. Examples of health promoting activities in schools include Hungry for Success, which is our whole school approach to school meals, and the Active Schools programme.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the way that the Scottish Medicines Consortium operates.

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation there will be on any plans to change the role of the Scottish Medicines Consortium in relation to National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance.

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be mandatory in future for the Scottish Medicines Consortium to accept National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommendations.

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the future role of the Scottish Medicines Consortium will be if National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommendations become mandatory in Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are no plans to change the way that the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) operates. If changes were considered then key stakeholders would be involved.

  We expect SMC to issue its advice following receipt of the manufacturer’s evidence as soon as possible after the launch of a product or, on occasion, before the launch. If subsequent advice were issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) based on more up-to-date evidence we would expect NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHSQIS) to decide whether that should supersede the SMC advice. We do not envisage that this role would change.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that living near a motorway adversely effects the pulmonary function of children living nearby.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive recognises traffic as a pollution source and that in certain circumstances, a number of traffic derived air pollutants have the potential to adversely affect human respiratory health. It is also accepted that children constitute a vulnerable group in relation to many environmental exposures.

  All local authorities are required by the Environment Act 1995 to regularly review and assess air quality in their areas against objectives for a range of pollutants in the Air Quality Strategy. If this work indicates that any objective is unlikely to be achieved by the required date, the authority concerned must declare an Air Quality Management Area and produce an action plan outlining how it intends to tackle the issues identified.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contracts have been negotiated between the NHS and non-NHS providers of health care for the treatment of NHS patients outwith NHS settings in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) speciality and (b) NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive does not contract centrally with the independent healthcare sector for the treatment of NHS patients and therefore does not hold this information. Each NHS board hold their own contracts with independent health care providers.

Health

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average weight of children has been in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) local authority area, (b) age and (c) gender.

Lewis Macdonald: Information on average weight of children in each of the last five years is not available centrally for all local authority areas, and is only available for specific age groups. Available information is presented in two tables which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 38335 and 38334).

  Table 1 gives the average (median) weight (kg’s) for children receiving a 39 to 42 month pre-school review (three to three and a half years) by local authority area and year of birth 1997 to 2001.

  Table 2 gives the average (median) weight (kg’s) for children receiving a P1 review (four to five years), P7 (11 to 12yrs) and S3 (14 to 15yrs) by local authority area and school year 2000-01 to 2004-05.

Health

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have consulted doctors or specialists on matters involving being overweight in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) local authority area, (b) age and (c) gender.

Lewis Macdonald: Information about patient consultations with specialists relating to being overweight is not available.

  The exact number of children under 16 consulting their general practice for matters involving being overweight in Scotland is not available centrally. However, national estimates of the numbers of children consulting for being overweight can be given, based on the number of patients seen for the condition in general practices participating in PTI (practice team information). PTI data are obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices. The number of participating practices is too small to allow estimates for local authority areas. Additionally, for this condition, the numbers in the sample are too small to allow a break down by age and so the estimates are shown by gender only.

  Estimated Annual Number of Children (under 16 years) Consulting their GP with a Diagnosis of being Overweight; Years Ending 31 March.

  

Gender
Estimates Number of Patients in Scotland1


2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Males
600
850
750
650
550


Females
750
800
1,000
750
650



  Note: 1. Estimates have been rounded to the nearest 50.

  Many overweight children may not consult their general practice about their weight problem. Some patients may also visit the General Practice for a condition related to their weight without overweight itself being recorded.

  The 2003 Scottish Health Survey reported that among children under 16 years of age, 34.6% of boys and 30.0% of girls were overweight or obese. These figures can be found at the website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/17861/HealthSurvey2003.

Health

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the NHS has been of children consulting doctors or specialists on matters involving being overweight in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: No information is available centrally that would identify expenditure incurred by the NHS as a result of patients consulting health professionals on matters involving being overweight.

Hepatitis

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of (a) hepatitis A, (b) hepatitis B and (c) non-A, non-B hepatitis resulting from whole blood exposure was in each year from 1965 to 1992.

Mr Andy Kerr: Data does not exist in the form requested for a number of reasons. This information was held, until about 1991, in regional transfusion centres (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness) and not pooled, and SNBTS does not have the records for these years. Estimates can be made based on the results of tests when these became available. These rely on the incidence of infections in the community (number of new cases), the prevalence (total number of cases) and the "window period" of the test. This window period is that time from a person becoming infected until the test is positive. Information on the number of transmissions in relation to each of the type of hepatitis is as follows:

  
No data is available for the period prior to 1978 on hepatitis A. Transfusion-transmitted hepatitis A is extremely rare with only two cases reported in the UK over the past 20 years.


  Tests for hepatitis B were only available from 1971. Transfusion- transmitted hepatitis B infection was quite common prior to the introduction of donor HBsAg screening around 1971, following which the reported number of cases fell to around five cases per annum for Scotland. Since 1991, this has dropped further and current UK residual risk is around 1:500,000 donations. For non-A non-B hepatitis –shown to be hepatitis C from around 1990-transfusion-associated hepatitis would only be a proportion of the actual rate of infection in recipients. It has been estimated that between 7,000 and 15,000 people were infected in the United Kingdom in the 10 years prior to 1991, equating to between 700 and 1500 in Scotland, or some 70-150 each year. The current residual risk of hepatitis C is now estimated to be around one in 10 million donations and at this rate it could be expected that Scotland would experience one hepatitis C transmission every 40 years.

Housing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with appropriate interested parties, including representatives of the architectural profession and those representing the interests of older people, concerning the design and adaptation of houses to meet the requirements of people aged 60 and over.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:

  
The SBSA is presently carrying out a review of standards on the access and use of buildings, including dwellings, and the review focuses on the need to provide dwellings that can accommodate the needs of all occupants, older people amongst them. The aim is to ensure that new dwellings better meet the varying needs of both occupants and visitors and are of a form that will enable future adaptation to suit the changing needs of occupants over the years.
The Building Standards Advisory Committee working party carrying out the review includes members from the architectural profession, the Disability Rights Commission, local authority building standards, private house builders and the Building Research Establishment.
Discussions on the issues of accessibility and use of buildings are in progress with a range of other key stakeholders, including: The Joseph Rowntree Foundation; Scottish Disability Equality Forum; Royal National Institute for the Blind; Royal National Institute for the Deaf; Homes for Scotland, and Ownership Options. It is anticipated that other interested parties will become involved prior to public consultation on proposed changes in March 2006.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase the supply of housing in the Highland Council and Moray Council areas to accommodate workers coming into the areas from other EU countries.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  
The Executive has continued to increase the level of investment for new housing supply in Highland and Moray Council areas rising from £10.12 million in 1997-98 to £25.75 million last financial year and with an anticipated outturn level of investment for this financial year of £33.315 million.
Workers migrating to here from other European Union countries have the same rights of access to housing as UK citizens.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has to support the policy of abolishing the right to buy in certain areas and how this policy will guarantee the provision of affordable houses to rent.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive does not have a policy of abolishing the right to buy. Recent pressured area designations have suspended the right to buy in the designated areas for tenancies with a modernised right to buy.

  I also refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20857 on 1 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in making publicly owned land available for affordable housing to rent or buy.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-19671 on 7 November 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities may make referrals under section 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 to private landlords and, if so, what conditions are placed on the type of tenancy and condition of property to be offered.

Malcolm Chisholm: Section 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 is limited to referrals made by local authorities to registered social landlords. If local authorities are able to discharge their duties to homeless people by entering into agreements with private landlords for the latter to provide accommodation, then they are free to do so, but these agreements would not be subject to the conditions of section 5.

Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18632 by Cathy Jamieson on 15 September 2005, under what circumstances images of suspects which have been collected by police as a result of their request for a video camera to be installed in a private, occupied dwelling and forwarded to the procurator fiscal are authorised for release and in respect of what charges this course of action would be considered.

Elish Angiolini QC: When the procurator fiscal decides to proceed with a case, the procurator fiscal becomes responsible for the appropriate release of evidential items provided by the police in connection with a report of an alleged criminal incident. This type of image can form part of the body of evidence in any kind of case reported to the procurator fiscal and belongs to the police. On the completion of criminal proceedings, or prior to that if appropriate, the procurator fiscal will release any such images back to the police in accordance with normal procedures.

Local Government Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital consent has been for (a) East Dunbartonshire Council and (b) West Dunbartonshire Council in each year since 1997.

Mr Tom McCabe: General and specific capital consents allocated under section 94, Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to East and West Dunbartonshire Councils are as follows:

  

 
East Dunbartonshire(£000)
West Dunbartonshire(£000)


Single Formula Allocation
Specific Consents (mainly Police and Fire)
Total
Single Formula Allocation
Specific Consents (mainly Police and Fire)
Total


1997-98
5,239 
222
5,461
5,072
1,863
3,209


1998-99
4,693 
425
5,118
4,568
168
4,736


1999-2000
4,076 
675
4,751
4,192
1,550
5,742


2000-01
4,553 
789
5,342
4,382
1,427
5,809


2001-02
5,722 
6,337
12,059
5,259
3,454
8,713


2002-03
5,776 
5,175
10,951
5,309
876
6,185


2003-04
6,405 
3,067
9,472
5,887
1,768
7,655



  Section 94 capital consents were abolished on 31 March 2004. From 2004-05, following the introduction of a new prudential regime (for local authority capital finance), local authorities have the flexibility to determine their own programmes for capital investment. These programmes are supported centrally by a combination of specific capital grants, and loan charges up to a specified level of new borrowing each year. In addition to this councils may, in accordance with the Prudential Code, undertake self-supported borrowing as long as it is prudent, affordable and sustainable.

Mortality

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when its investigation into the increased number of deaths from malnutrition among older people, announced on 20 November 2005, will be completed and how the results will be reported to the Parliament.

Mr Andy Kerr: I have asked NHS Scotland Information Services Division to conduct a short piece of work to see whether there is any obvious explanation for the increase. I hope this will be completed shortly and I will write to give details of any conclusions.

NHS Waiting Times

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the out-patient waiting times have been in respect of investigation of allergies in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available. Information on out-patient waiting times is available only at specialty level and does not identify specific conditions.

National Health Service

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations have been carried out at the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank in each year since it has been within the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the number of operations undertaken by the Golden Jubilee National Hospital since 1 July 2002 is provided in the following table. The hospital expects to undertake over 13,000 operations in 2005-06.

  

 
Number of Operations


1 July 2002 to 31 March 2003
3,346


Year ending 31 March 2004
7,212


Year ending 31 March 2005
9,706



  Source: Golden Jubilee National Hospital.

National Health Service

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is provided to NHS boards regarding the replacement of DEXA scanners.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the effectiveness of DEXA mobile scanners.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, which is a part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, has published a good practice clinical guideline on the Management of Osteoporosis which includes advice for clinicians on the use of DEXA scanning in the diagnosis of the condition. The choice, purchase and replacement of medical equipment such as DEXA scanners is a matter for boards working with manufacturers of equipment, but the Executive has provided additional funding of £125 million over three years to help boards obtain more new and replacement medical equipment. Because these are matters for NHS boards, the Executive has not issued specific guidance to the NHS about the replacement of DEXA scanners nor has it considered specifically the effectiveness of mobile scanners – although we understand a number of boards use them.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the National Institute for Clinical Excellence advises the NHS in Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: The conclusions of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Multiple Technology Appraisals (MTA) (previously called Technology Appraisal Guidance) are considered by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS). NHS QIS make recommendations on their validity for Scotland.

  NICE are consulting on a new process called Single Technology Appraisal. The Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD), NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) and the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) are currently considering the implications of this new process for Scotland.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20285 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005, whether the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is a UK-wide body whose decisions are binding on the Executive and the NHS in Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: The regulation and safety of medicines is a reserved matter. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is the government agency which is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices marketed in the UK are acceptably safe.

  Information about the agency and its work can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20285 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005, what the relationship is between the Scottish Medicines Consortium and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20285 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005 and if it is the responsibility of the Scottish Medicines Corsortium to advise the NHS on the suitability of medicines, why it is the responsibility of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to advise NHS Scotland on the implications of the guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence resulting from its consultation document, Alzheimer’s disease – donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) advises NHSScotland on the clinical and cost effectiveness of all new medicines, formulations and indications at, or as soon as possible after, the time of launch of a medicine. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) appraisals (multiple technology appraisals) are conducted over a longer period of time, have access to more evidence beyond that which was available at the time of launch of a medicine, and are able to undertake more detailed appraisal of a medicine. Consequently the SMC process and the NICE multiple technology appraisal process should be seen as complementary processes rather than as alternatives.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) provides the secretariat and other inputs, such as health economics, to the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). SMC, however, is an autonomous body constituted by the Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees (ADTCs) of NHS boards in Scotland.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20285 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005, whether the decisions of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency or the European Medicines Agency are binding on the Executive and the NHS in Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: Before a medicine can be placed on the UK market it must have a marketing authorisation either from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency or the European Medicines Agency. Decisions on the marketing authorisations of medicines made by the MHRA or the EMEA are binding on the Executive and the NHS in Scotland.

  Information about the MHRA and its work can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20285 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005, whether there have been any instances where the Scottish Medicines Consortium has made a recommendation on the use of a drug to NHS Scotland but has been subsequently contradicted by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s advice to the NHS in England and Wales which has then been implemented in Scotland and, if so, whether it will provide details of such instances.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) reviewed Pimecrolimus cream (ElidelÒ ) in July 2004, and did not recommend it for use. SMC advice was:

  
"Pimecrolimus cream is the first topical immunomodulator licensed for the treatment of signs and symptoms of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. There is no evidence that it has clinical advantage in terms of efficacy or safety when compared with the alternative treatments, which include mild-to-moderately potent topical corticosteroids. The economic case for using this preparation is unproven."


  The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance to the NHS in England and Wales on the use of tacrolimus and pimecrolimus for atopic eczema in August 2004 which allowed use of use of tacrolimus and pimecrolimus for atopic eczema in defined circumstances. This information can be found at: http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=217941.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) validated the NICE appraisal and advised that

  "NHSScotland should take account of NICE appraisals in its planning, funding and provision of services to ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need. NHS QIS noted the differences between SMC advice and the NICE appraisal."

  Any NICE appraisal validated by NHS QIS for NHSScotland will supersede previous SMC advice for a particular medicine.

National Health Service

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) managers and (b) clinicians have been paid to commute from their homes on the mainland to posts within NHS Western Isles in each financial year from 2000-01 to 2005-06.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information you requested is an operational matter for the health board, with no central records being held.

National Health Service

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8076 on 17 November 2005 by the Minister for Health and Community Care, whether the minister will respond to support expressed at public meetings in Stornoway in the week beginning 28 November 2005 by councillors, health workers and other people present for an external review of the financial arrangements and governance of NHS Western Isles by Audit Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: I conducted the Annual Review of NHS Western Isles in Stornoway on 12 September 2005 where I received the personal assurances of the chair in relation to financial balance and governance. In my letter closing the review I said:

  
 "I would like to congratulate NHS Western Isles on a good performance in 2004-05. You are meeting your performance targets and patients receive a good service. However, it is imperative that this good work is under-pinned by solid foundations in finance and staff governance. You know how disappointed I am that your accounts were qualified last year but I welcome your assurances that strengthening of your financial management is your top priority – I saw evidence that action is well in hand.
I was concerned at the negative attitude and language I heard in the Partnership Forum, which was in stark contrast to the, admittedly anecdotal, comments I heard from staff and patients as I made my visits. I place high importance on good partnership working, which must come from all sides, and I urge members of the Forum to consider what they each can do to deliver good working relations within the board, which are essential to good healthcare.
You have a board which has grown in strength over the last year and I know that this has taken a lot of hard work from all concerned. Board members should be proud of the progress made and I should be pleased if you would convey to them and all staff my appreciation and encouragement."


  It is now for the board to deliver on the assurances given and for all concerned to work for the best interests of patient care in the Western Isles.

National Parks

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20781 by Rhona Brankin on 29 November 2005, how much funding was made available for enforcement costs to the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority.

Rhona Brankin: The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority is expected to fund all its activities within its overall budget allocation. The Executive has indicated that, to the extent that the park authority faced additional and previously unforeseen costs, associated with byelaw enforcement and with bringing forward the byelaw review process, and which could not be contained within their budget allocation for the current year, additional funds would be made available. Whether the park authority will require additional funds will not be clear until the end of the financial year.

Nuclear Power

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the meetings that have taken place between Scottish ministers and representatives of the nuclear industry in the last 12 months, giving details and dates of each meeting and broken down by minister.

Allan Wilson: I visited Hunterston B Power Station on 18 August 2005 in order to tour the station and meet the Chief Executive of British Energy, Bill Coley.

Nursing

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical nurse specialists will be required to assist in the delivery of the new bowel cancer screening programme and subsequent care services for those who are diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Mr Andy Kerr: An additional 14 full-time equivalent nurses will be required to assess and follow up individuals who test positive prior to onward referral for further investigation (colonoscopy). Nurses carrying out these assessments will require additional training but will not require to be a clinical nurse specialist. The provision of this training will be the responsibility of each individual health board as part of general planning for implementation of the Bowel Screening Programme. Advice on the nature of the training required will be provided by representatives from the Bowel Screening Centre.

  We are investing in the expansion of the endoscopy workforce in Scotland. Up to 25 non-medical endoscopists, some of whom will be specialist nurses or nurse practitioners, will commence a one year training course from January 2006 at Glasgow Caledonian University. This is an on-going bi-yearly course running in January and September. Once qualified, they will form part of the general endoscopy workforce rather than working exclusively with screen positive individuals. As at January 2005 there were 39 non-medical endoscopists working in Scotland.

  There are no plans to increase the number of bowel cancer nurse specialists to care for individuals ultimately diagnosed with bowel cancer. During the Bowel Cancer Screening Pilot, which has been operating in Fife, Grampian and Tayside since 2000, there has been no requirement to increase the number of bowel cancer nurse specialists as existing teams have been able to absorb the additional workload.

Nursing

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that the number of clinical nurse specialists required to deliver the new bowel cancer screening programme will be in place.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21320 on 12 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Nursing

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how NHS Scotland is developing opportunities for experienced specialist nursing staff to develop their careers while remaining in clinical posts.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are committed to creating a culture of lifelong learning within the NHS.

  The vast majority of post-registration education is provided on a part-time basis allowing nurses to remain in clinical work while completing modules, degrees and masters qualifications. In addition, higher education institutions are working closely with NHS Scotland to ensure that post-registration education is accessible and more closely linked to service need. This includes increasing amounts of e-learning, work-based learning and portfolio work.

Nutrition

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the provision of free fruit available to P1 and P2 pupils on three days a week to (a) five days a week and (b) other primary school pupils.

Peter Peacock: The free fruit scheme aims to introduce pupils to the taste of different fruits at an early age, and targeting the first two years of primary education with free fruit three times per week was felt to be the best way of achieving this. An independent evaluation of the free fruit initiative will be published shortly.

  The Executive does not have any plans to extend the provision of free fruit at present. However, as the First Minister announced in September 2005, the Executive will be consulting on a range of measures relating to health promotion, nutrition and schools, and this will allow an opportunity for people to comment on the outcome of the scheme.

  In addition to the free fruit scheme, the Hungry for Success nutrient specifications state that school menus should provide a choice of at least two vegetables and two fruits, in addition to fruit juice every day and throughout the lunch service. The Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education report found that many local authorities had placed a strong emphasis on developing the visual appeal of the food on offer, particularly around salad and fruit bars.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15617 and S2W-15618 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, how the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service can be aware that Premier Prison Services Ltd has, at all times, met its contractual commitment in respect of employing one or more registered mental health nurses when he is unable to say whether a registered mental health nurse was employed in HM Prison Kilmarnock between 1 and 11 January 2002.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  
The contract does not require the contractor to employ registered mental nurses but does commit the contractor to having "nursing staff with mental nursing skills and qualifications.
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17042 on 17 June 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.


  The SPS also have a controller team based in the establishment whose role is to keep under review the running of the prison.

Rendition Flights

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what jurisdiction the Scottish criminal justice system has over people on board planes in transit through Scottish airports.

Elish Angiolini QC: A Scottish criminal court has jurisdiction, at common law, over aircraft within or flying over Scotland. Section 92 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 also makes provision for the application of the criminal law to aircraft. In terms of that legislation, where an act or omission takes place on board a British-controlled aircraft, which is in flight elsewhere than in or over the United Kingdom and that act or omission would constitute an offence if it took place in the UK, or in a part of the UK, that shall constitute an offence under the law in force in the UK or in part of the UK.

  This provision also applies to non British-controlled aircraft if the next landing of the aircraft is in the United Kingdom and the act or omission would also constitute an offence if it had taken place in the country in which the aircraft is registered.

  The control of flights in and out of Scotland is a reserved matter. The Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation entitles foreign civil aircraft to make technical stops, for example for refuelling, without requiring the permission of the state it stops in.

  If the police have a specific basis to believe that an offence is being committed against the person of an individual on board an aircraft and which endangers the safety of that person they may board the craft and investigate the circumstances in the same way as they may enter any premises in order to prevent an offence of violence continuing.

Rendition Flights

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate has issued any guidance to chief constables in respect of investigating alleged breaches of the UN Convention against Torture by persons physically present in Scotland.

Elish Angiolini QC: The UK incorporated the UN Convention against Torture into UK law by the enactment of section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. The Lord Advocate has not issued any guidance to the police on the investigation of torture.

  If the police have evidence that such crimes are being committed by persons physically present in Scotland they will be responsible for conducting an investigation. It would then be for the Procurator Fiscal to decide whether or not to bring proceedings.

Rendition Flights

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether records are maintained by any public authority or body for which it has responsibility in respect of the transit of planes through airports in Scotland.

Tavish Scott: No. There are no public authorities or bodies for which the Scottish Executive is responsible which are required to maintain records in respect of aircraft in transit through Scottish airports.

Rendition Flights

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what jurisdiction the Scottish criminal justice system has over people on board planes in transit through Scottish airports in respect of suspected complicity to commit torture.

Elish Angiolini QC: A Scottish criminal court has jurisdiction, at common law, over aircraft within or flying over Scotland. Section 92 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 also makes provision for the application of the criminal law to aircraft. In terms of that legislation, where an act or omission takes place on board a British-controlled aircraft, which is in flight elsewhere than in or over the United Kingdom and that act or omission would constitute an offence if it took place in the UK, or in a part of the UK, that shall constitute an offence under the law in force in the UK or in part of the UK.

  This provision also applies to non British-controlled aircraft if the next landing of the aircraft is in the United Kingdom and the act or omission would also constitute an offence if it had taken place in the country in which the aircraft is registered.

  Torture, an attempt to commit torture, or conspiracy to commit torture are crimes punishable under Scots law at common law or under section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 by imprisonment for a maximum period of life imprisonment. Where evidence exists to support allegations that such crimes have been committed within Scottish jurisdiction, or that torture has been committed elsewhere by or at the instigation of a public official, the police will be responsible for conducting appropriate investigations and reporting such cases to the Procurator Fiscal.

Road Accidents

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many discretionary fatal accident inquiries have been held in each year since 1995 following a charge of careless driving.

Elish Angiolini QC: Information is only available for periods post-April 2002. No discretionary fatal accident inquiries have been held since that date following a charge of careless driving.

Scottish Executive Advertising

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15207 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 March 2005, which advertising agencies are on the Scottish Executive contract.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive Marketing Unit renewed its advertising contract on 1 August 2004. The eight agencies on the roster are Barkers, Leith, Newhaven, Family, 1576, Union, Citigate Smarts and The Bridge.

  A press release was issued on 12 August 2004 giving details of the advertising contracts awarded, link attached. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2004/08/12103709.

Scottish Executive Funding

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Supporting People funding each local authority has received in each year since the inception of the initiative.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Supporting People funding each local authority will receive in 2006-07.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table gives details of Supporting People funding provided to local authorities since the scheme was introduced and planned allocations for the next two years.

  Supporting People Allocations

  

Council 
2003-04
(£)
2004-05
(£)
2005-06
(£)
2006-07
(£)
2007-08
(£)


Aberdeen City
12,306,385
12,306,385
12,351,000
11,881,000
11,882,000


Aberdeenshire
9,374,919
9,374,919
9,790,000
9,440,000
9,707,000


Angus
6,404,033
6,404,033
6,449,000
6,460,000
6,688,000


Argyll and Bute
16,598,238
14,900,000
13,782,000
13,261,000
12,222,000


Clackmannanshire
3,093,495
3,093,495
3,093,000
3,242,000
3,851,000


Dumfries and Galloway
15,078,644
15,078,644
14,300,000
13,420,000
12,368,000


Dundee City
11,672,480
11,672,480
11,715,000
11,748,000
12,055,000


East Ayrshire
6,184,168
6,184,168
6,184,000
6,464,000
7,609,000


East Dunbartonshire
5,527,821
5,527,821
5,697,000
5,237,000
5,238,000


East Lothian
9,365,816
9,365,816
8,802,000
8,336,000
7,683,000


East Renfrewshire
6,258,179
6,258,179
5,843,000
5,570,000
5,134,000


Edinburgh, City of
44,694,924
44,694,924
41,372,000
39,778,000
36,661,000


Eilean Siar
356,813
356,813
581,000
585,000
593,000


Falkirk
8,275,041
8,275,041
8,290,000
8,439,000
9,109,000


Fife
28,331,955
28,331,955
26,384,000
24,560,000
24,561,000


Glasgow City
71,765,591
71,765,591
75,454,000
73,159,000
78,852,000


Highland
13,891,248
13,891,248
13,100,000
11,728,000
11,728,000


Inverclyde
8,122,573
8,122,573
8,151,000
7,684,000
7,685,000


Midlothian
6,071,375
6,071,375
5,628,000
5,404,000
4,981,000


Moray
6,920,485
6,920,485
6,401,000
6,159,000
5,677,000


North Ayrshire
14,705,131
14,705,131
13,680,000
12,242,000
12,066,000


North Lanarkshire
24,845,631
24,845,631
24,845,000
25,045,000
25,862,000


Orkney Islands
357,044
357,044
357,000
422,000
689,000


Perth and Kinross
6,225,994
6,225,994
6,286,000
6,395,000
7,086,000


Renfrewshire
18,346,930
18,346,930
20,976,000
16,329,000
15,049,000


Scottish Borders
5,956,313
5,956,313
5,956,000
5,750,000
5,751,000


Shetland Islands
788,470
788,470
788,000
815,000
926,000


South Ayrshire
8,171,860
8,171,860
8,712,000
7,975,000
7,975,000


South Lanarkshire
23,420,550
23,420,550
24,031,000
22,333,000
22,333,000


Stirling
3,799,843
3,799,843
3,988,000
3,966,000
4,649,000


West Dunbartonshire
19,396,821
17,500,000
16,353,000
15,575,000
14,355,000


West Lothian
9,761,338
9,761,338
10,184,000
9,783,000
9,871,000


Scotland
426,070,109
422,475,050
419,523,000
399,185,000
400,896,000

Scottish Executive Funding

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding streams were accessed by the Castlemilk Youth Complex to fund construction of the complex.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  
Castlemilk Youth Complex is an independent organisation, and therefore the Scottish Executive does not hold comprehensive information about its funding streams. However, the Scottish Office Urban Programme provided funding for the cost of the building works when the Complex was established in 1994.

Scottish Executive Funding

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are available to provide a complex for young people in Aberdeen similar to the Castlemilk Youth Complex.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  
The Scottish Executive makes provision for a range of funds that are targeted to help close the opportunity gap across Scotland, and lend support to community projects like the Castlemilk Youth Projects. The actual nature and method of the response may of course vary depending on the local circumstances. For Aberdeen City, aside from the local authority’s mainstream programmes, the main funds currently available are:

The Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) - Aberdeen
The funding from the Scottish Executive’s Community Regeneration Fund is specifically targeted at the most deprived areas of the city - supporting services and projects which improve people’s lives and the places they live. 
For the period between 2005-06 and 2007-08 the Scottish Executive has allocated £3.726 million through the Community Regeneration Fund to the Aberdeen City. This fund is managed by Aberdeen City’s Community Planning Partnership (The Aberdeen City Alliance), and its key investment priorities are set out in their Regeneration Outcome Agreement which the Minister for Communities approved on 2 September 2005. This fund provides the partnership with the scope to allocate resources to a broad range of community supported projects, including where considered appropriate, projects like the one at Castlemilk, that are tailored to help and support the needs of our young people within their communities.
Wider Role - Aberdeen
A fund managed, supported and allocated by Communities Scotland area teams around the country. The funds are only available to registered social landlords or to voluntary organisations that are specifically supporting registered social landlords’ wider role activity.



  The Communities Scotland Aberdeen office currently has an annual allocation of around £0.6 million. Since 1998 Communities Scotland has provided financial support to the value of £1.3 million to the Aberdeen Foyer, - through their sponsoring registered social landlord Grampian Housing Association.

  The Aberdeen Foyer is a successful local charitable organisation working with young people to prevent and alleviate youth homelessness and unemployment. In addition, they provide accommodation and access to wide range of educational, training, employment and community health services for young people. This project is now in its tenth year and has a turnover of close on £3.5 million This year Communities Scotland is providing around £0.29 million to help support five of the Aberdeen Foyer projects.

  Communities Scotland have also given financial support to help the Torry Youth Café to expand their services for the young people in the Torry area of Aberdeen.

  In addition they are providing partnership investment funding alongside Aberdeen City Council and Scottish Enterprise Grampian to support the three Opportunity Gateway Houses in Aberdeen, and they place significant emphasis on the need to support and develop the younger people within our communities.

Sport

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to monitor  sportscotland’s expenditure to ensure that expenditure on bureaucracy is kept to a minimum.

Patricia Ferguson: Under the Efficient Government initiative, which aims to redirect administrative costs to delivery of front-line services, we have asked  sportscotland to deliver annual efficiency savings of at least £200,000 by 31 March 2008.

  With regard to specific expenditure on staffing, sportscotland’s staff costs are subject to the approval of the Scottish Executive and must take account of public sector pay guidance. Any significant changes in sportscotland’s staff numbers are therefore also subject to the Executive’s approval.

Sport

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to set guidelines on how Exchequer funding is spent by  sportscotland.

Patricia Ferguson: Sportscotland, like any other non-departmental public body, is subject to a number of guidelines and requirements regarding its Exchequer expenditure. These are set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

  The conditions governing how particular elements of the Exchequer funding should be spent by sportscotland are set out in the grant in aid letter issued to sportscotland by the Scottish Executive.

  Sportscotland’s corporate plan, setting out longer term expenditure plans, is also subject to ministerial approval.

Sport

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Sports Council Trust Company spent on the provision of community sports facilities in each of the last five years; which facilities have been provided as a result, and how much each received.

Patricia Ferguson: The Trust Company was not established by  sportscotland to provide community sports facilities but to manage and operate the three National Centres at Glenmore Lodge, Inverclyde and Cumbrae. The board members of  sportscotland are the directors of the company.

Sport

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much  sportscotland has spent on providing community facilities in each of the last five years; what community facilities have benefited from this investment, and how much they received.

Patricia Ferguson: This is an operational matter for sportscotland. I have asked the chair to provide the information requested.

Sport

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how  sportscotland has supported and developed sport in 2004-05; which projects were recipients of the £14.4 million spent on supporting and developing sport at grassroots level, and how much each project received.

Patricia Ferguson: This is an operational matter for  sportscotland. I have asked the chair to provide the information requested.

Sport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how  sportscotland and the Lottery Sports Fund have improved sports opportunities for young people in the (a) East Dunbartonshire and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area.

Patricia Ferguson: Sportscotland operate a number of programmes in taking forward the current Lottery Fund Strategy Raising Our Game: sportscotland Lottery Fund Strategy 2003-2007 , a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38314).These programmes are open to any formally constituted body within East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire.

  Since the lottery began projects in East Dunbartonshire have benefited by over £1.7 million and projects in West Dunbartonshire by over £2.4 million. Further details on individual projects can be obtained from sportscotland.

Tourism

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question by S2W-20286 by Patricia Ferguson on 17 November 2005, why the online booking facility on visitscotland.com is classed as being mainly for the provision of information and not as a purely commercial activity.

Patricia Ferguson: The  visitscotland.com website is a highly popular source of information on the rich diversity of experiences which Scotland has to offer its residents and visitors. During the year to date, over 9.5 million people have used it in this way; some of these visitors have used it to identify accommodation and then contact the accommodation provider direct to make the booking. The website also provides an easy to use way of booking accommodation online; so far this year around 143,000 such bookings have been taken with a value of around £17.5 million. More than half of these bookings have gone to small businesses.

Tourism

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-680 by Mr Frank McAveety on 17 June 2003 which confirms that visitscotland.com is a commercial company, how the advertising of visitscotland.com’s contact details on VisitScotland literature does not breach European State Aid rules.

Patricia Ferguson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20286 on 17 November 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

VisitScotland

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have taken compulsory redundancy through the VisitScotland restructuring process, broken down by (a) gender and (b) tourist board area.

Patricia Ferguson: This is an operational matter for VisitScotland. I will ask the Chief Executive of VisitScotland to write to you direct on this matter.

VisitScotland

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have agreed to voluntary redundancy through the VisitScotland restructuring process, broken down by (a) gender and (b) tourist board area.

Patricia Ferguson: This is an operational matter for VisitScotland. I will ask the Chief Executive of VisitScotland to write to you direct on this matter.

Voluntary Sector

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants it has made to the Millennium Volunteers Project in each year since its inception.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Millennium Volunteers programme in Scotland has been supported by Scottish Executive grant funding amounting to £4,396,642. Details are as follows:

  

Year
Amount of Funding (£)


1999-2000
449,181


2000-01
872,597


2001-02
644,162


2002-03
692,317


2003-04
680,947


2004-05
460,063


2005-06 
597,375


Total
£4,396,642